Labour’s “bogus black hole is falling to pieces” because the Treasury cannot provide key details on the £22bn funding gap, Jeremy Hunt has warned.

The Treasury rejected a Freedom of Information Request, stating officials need more time to ensure the figures are “accurate”.

But Mr Hunt, the Shadow Chancellor, seized on the admission and declared “this fictitious black hole is purely of Labour’s own making”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves are using the £22bn departmental overspend to justify axing the winter fuel allowance and looming tax hikes.

But a large portion - £9.4bn – was incurred by the Chancellor herself by offering public sector workers inflation-busting pay rises.

Mr Hunt said: “Labour's bogus 'black hole' is falling to pieces, with the government now admitting they can't provide basic details because they aren't sure they're accurate.

“It's clear that this fictitious 'black hole' is purely of Labour's own making - simply a political smokescreen for their public sector pay awards.

"The public won't be fooled by this shameless pre-text for tax rises.”

The Financial Times, through a Freedom of Information request, demanded an exact breakdown of the £22bn claim.

The largest chunk of unaccounted spending is £8.6bn earmarked for “normal reserve claims”, the Financial Times reported.

This includes election funding, resettlement arrangements from Afghanistan and the reclassifying of flood defences.

But officials refused to quantify them.

One of the biggest disclosed components was £6.4bn of spending on asylum and illegal immigration.

The Government has used this funding gap to justify axing the winter fuel payment for millions of pensioners.